Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

The following day, at Deyang Palace.

Emperor Ling of Han sat on his throne, his face darker than sandalwood. The urgent report from Liangzhou from the previous night had weighed on his chest all night, making even his coughs feel fiery.

The attendants chanted, and the officials entered the ranks.

After all the officials and nobles had taken their positions, Emperor Ling of Han came out from the rear hall and sat down on the throne. His complexion was already quite unpleasant; he had clearly not slept well the night before, as there was a faint dark circle under his eyes. However, his eyes were still sharp, and wherever they fell, that place immediately shrank by half.

Zhang Rang read out the key points of the urgent report from Liangzhou to the public. After he finished, there was a moment of silence in the hall.

That silence wasn't because they had nothing to say; it was because everyone knew the weight of the matter, and no one wanted to be the first to speak up, because the first person to speak would be the first to take the blame.

Emperor Ling of Han suppressed his anger, waited a moment, and then said:

"Who will say it?"

It's not a question, it's about who should speak first.

He Jin stepped forward, saluted, and spoke in a loud voice, carrying the confidence of someone who had long held military power:

"Your Majesty, I request permission to lead the Northern Army out of the pass, first pacify Longyou, and then conquer Liangzhou."

The words were spoken crisply, but there was no immediate echo in the hall. Only a few pairs of eyes exchanged discreetly before looking away.

Emperor Ling of Han looked at He Jin, his gaze darkening for a moment, but he remained silent.

Zhang Rang stood to the side, slightly bowing his back and keeping his face very low, neither looking at He Jin nor at the emperor.

After a silence that lasted for about ten breaths, Minister Cui Chang stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said:

"Your Majesty, the General's request stems from loyalty, and I dare not doubt it."

"However, the Northern Army is the foundation of the capital. If the Grand General goes out, who will take charge of the defense of the capital? This matter is of great importance and needs to be carefully considered."

He Jin's expression changed, but he couldn't refute it, so he bowed and joined the ranks.

Cui Chang continued:

"I believe that we should first discuss the selection of generals and commanders, and then discuss the transportation of military supplies. Only by doing both can we avoid missing the opportunity to win the battle."

Emperor Ling of Han nodded. These words resonated with him—what he wanted was not for anyone to claim credit, but for the matter to be resolved without disturbing the foundations of the capital.

So the Minister of Ceremonies spoke up and mentioned Huangfu Song's name; the Minister of Works mentioned Zhu Jun; and someone among the Gentlemen of the Palace mentioned a general who had served in Longyou from Duan Jiong's old subordinates...

For a time, names were put forward from all sides, each with its own merits and flaws. As the discussion went on, the topic circled back to "military rations" and "money," and after that, no one spoke.

Emperor Ling's expression grew increasingly grim.

Just then, a censor from the Censorate stepped forward, held a memorial above his head, and bowed, saying:

"Your Majesty, I have a plan that may resolve this predicament."

Emperor Ling of Han raised his chin, gesturing for him to speak.

"The root of the rebellion in Liangzhou lies with the Qiang and Hu tribes. The Qiang and Hu are not familiar with the customs of the capital's famous generals; if troops are dispatched from the capital, the journey is long and supplies are scarce, and half of them will be destroyed before they even arrive. If a large army is sent from the capital, the money and supplies will be cut off first, and the people's hearts will be thrown into chaos. Before Liangzhou is pacified, Guanzhong will be the first to fall into turmoil."

"In my opinion, the matter of Liangzhou should be handled by using the Western Liang to control the Western Liang."

He paused, then continued.

"The generals of Xiliang have long been stationed on the border, familiar with the customs of the Qiang and Hu peoples, and knowledgeable about geography and local conditions. If generals are transferred from the Central Plains, the soldiers will not know the way, and the way will not know the soldiers. Once the supply lines are cut off, chaos will surely ensue."

"I recommend one person—General Dong Zhuo."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Dong Zhuo.

This name was familiar to those in the imperial court. Born in Xiliang, he had fought against the Qiang people and the Yellow Turbans. In the Battle of Guangzong, he was the first to breach the city walls and was promoted to General of the Vanguard. This man was both capable and daring in battle.

Zhang Rang's eyelids twitched slightly, but he quickly suppressed it, maintaining his submissive expression.

He Jin did not immediately express his opinion, but simply stood in place and gently rubbed the back of the tablet with his fingers.

Yuan Shao stood among the officials, head bowed, the line at the corner of his mouth pressed flat.

Emperor Ling of Han took the memorial, read it from beginning to end, put it down, and looked towards the hall:

"What do you all think?"

Cui Chang cautiously replied, "As for Dong Zhuo... I believe we should first discuss the official titles bestowed upon him, and then determine the scope of his military orders."

The Grand Master of Ceremonies nodded: "Using Western Liang to control Western Liang is a reasonable strategy. However, the power to hold the imperial insignia should not be lightly granted; it must be discussed."

He Jin finally spoke:

"Your Majesty, I have heard of Dong Zhuo. He is a capable warrior, but also fierce in nature; his use must be tempered."

Emperor Ling of Han understood the implication in He Jin's words. He looked at He Jin, then at Zhang Rang, and finally fixed his gaze on the spot where the Crown Prince was standing on the side of the hall:

"Your Highness, what do you think?"

Liu Bian stepped forward and bowed:

"Father, the situation in Liangzhou is extremely urgent. I believe this matter cannot be delayed any longer."

He paused:

"Dong Zhuo is familiar with border affairs, and there is a reason for employing him to quell the rebellion. Your subject dares not object."

Several pairs of eyes in the hall shifted slightly, none of them expecting the Crown Prince to agree so quickly.

Just when they thought everything was going smoothly, Liu Bian's next words took them by surprise:

"However, Liangzhou is far away, and the transportation of military supplies is of utmost importance. If the troops do not arrive and the food supply is cut off, the war cannot continue. Your son dares to offer a few points for Your Majesty to decide."

Emperor Ling of Han nodded slightly: "Speak."

"The Liangzhou Rebellion burned not only soldiers but also grain. Bian Zhang and Han Sui were able to gather tens of thousands of people not because of their numbers, but because of their supply routes. They looted granaries, cut off official roads, robbed the government troops of their grain, and seized the grain from the people, which is why so many people followed them."

Liu Bian raised his head and looked at Emperor Ling of Han:

"So this battle wasn't just about soldiers, it was about supplies."

"I will not contend with who will lead the troops. But how the supply lines will be arranged, how the military supplies will be transported, and how the checkpoints will be cleared—these things must be done according to regulations."

He took a roll of paper from his sleeve and presented it to him.

"These are the regulations that your son and Xun Yu discussed last night. The military supplies for Liangzhou will be jointly verified by the Ministry of Personnel and the Eastern Palace Inspection Office; all entry and exit at checkpoints along the way must be approved by both the Tian Shang Association and the official granary; and the accounts for military rations, horse feed, and transportation will be reported every ten days and submitted directly to the Zhangde Hall."

"Father, my intention isn't to hinder anyone, but I fear that if this fire is only half-burned and the food supplies run out, it will instead endanger the soldiers at the front."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Zhang Rang lowered his head, mentally reviewing the points, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of his lips—

The Crown Prince's demands all concerned managing grain, accounts, and roads, but none of them touched upon military orders themselves, He Jin's position, or Dong Zhuo's name.

What His Majesty heard was that the Crown Prince was keeping a tight rein on his logistics to prevent anyone from embezzling pay or intercepting military rations.

Emperor Ling of Han breathed a sigh of relief at this moment. He paused his finger on the edge of the table for a moment before saying:

"allow."

He raised his eyes and scanned the entire hall:

"Draft edict: Dong Zhuo, holding the imperial insignia, shall oversee the campaign against the rebellion of Bian Zhang and Han Sui in Liangzhou. Transportation, military supplies, and the movement of goods through checkpoints shall be handled according to the regulations for the Eastern Palace's auditing, with joint signatures from the Ministry of Personnel, and reports submitted every ten days."

He paused, then added a final sentence in a very low voice, which could be heard throughout the entire hall:

"If anyone intercepts supplies and causes trouble for the army, they will be punished according to military law."

Inside the hall, there was a chorus of "Yes, sir."

After the ceremony, the court session ended.

-

After the court session ended, outside the Deyang Palace, Wang Jishizhong walked a little slower than usual.

He didn't turn around, nor did he wait for anyone; he simply walked out at a leisurely pace.

As I walked down the corridor, someone suddenly whispered something to me:

"Wang's memorial to the throne today was beautifully written."

Wang, the censor, didn't stop walking. He just turned his head slightly and saw a person dressed in an ordinary deep robe standing next to a pillar. The brim of his hat was pulled low, so he couldn't see the face.

He paused, didn't reply, and continued walking forward.

The voice drifted over from behind again, very soft, yet it reached his ears clearly:

"This isn't offering up a general, it's offering up a scheme."

Wang, the censor, paused for a moment, then resumed his normal pace.

He didn't turn around or respond; he simply continued walking forward, exiting the palace gates and onto the streets of Luoyang.

The wind rushed into my collar, chilling me to the bone.

He adjusted his collar and walked a little faster than before.